Lock for automobile steering wheels



May'S, 1923.

R. R. AcarafAElal-:RT LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE STEERING WHEELS '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RUDOLF R. GRAEBERT, or CHICAGO, iLLInois, Assienon, BY ivriisim ASSIGNMENTS',

To :BERNARD Maynas,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILE STEERING Vi-HfllELS.y

Application filed July 19,

My invention is concerned with locks for steering-wheels for automobiles or trucks, of the type in which the steering-wheel is rendered inoperative or free to spin when the car is standing idle, for preventing surreptitious use of the car by unauthorized persons.

The object of my invention broadly stated, is a locking device for connecting and disconnecting an automobile steering wheel and its post, the locking member of which on being disconnected, is actuated by gravity to its locking position for connecting the wheel to the post against accidental detachment.

More specifically stated, the object of my invention is to provide an automobile steering wheel and its post with a locking device adapted to be manually operated. for disconnecting and freeing the wheel to spin around the post, and operating by gravity to connect the wheel and post and lock the wheel thereon against accidental detachment.

A further object of my invention is a steerr ing-wheel having an axial sleeve firmly sef cured to the steering post therefor, provided with a locking ring adapted to be manually elevated and positively locked for freeing the wheel from its sleeve and operating by gravity for connecting and locking the sleeve and wheel, the construction and arrange? ment of which wheel and sleeve and the lockingy devices therefor, together. with the lock bolt for the ringaresuch that when the y wheel is disconnected from its sleeve, they lare inaccessible for tampering purposes and can only be unlocked by the possessor .of the ykey of aA pin lock-therefor.

l,Another object of my inventionis a means for preventing a binding action or friction `between the hub ofval wheel and the sleeve therefor, otherwise possibleyduring the disconnection of the wheel lfrom its sleeve, for

. c'ontrolling the operation: of the post.

' Withthesgends invview,` my invention finds embodiment in certain features of nov? ll, aportion 12.0f said shaft being 1920. Serial No. 397,520.

yelty in the construction, combination .and

arrangement of parts by which the said objects and other objects are attained all asv hereinafter fullyl described with reference. to the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the claims. In said drawings,- Fig. l is a side elevation showing the disposition of parts when the steering-wheel is locked for driving purposes.

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section taken' through the steering-wheel with the parts positioned as in Fig. f

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing a pin lock employed in the device.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing a locking bolt employed in connection with said lock. n

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken in the same plane as that of Fig. 2, but showing the disy position of parts when the wheel is unlocked or free vto spin. i

Fig. 6 is plan section taken -on the line Fig. 7 is a View showing the inner end of v said lock. .y

Fig. 8 is a section taken in the same plane as that of Fig. 5, showing the relation of parts when the lock key is turned for retraoting` said lockingbolt for releasing a l gravity-operated wheel locking member employed in the device, and

Fig. 9 is a plan section taken on line 9-'-9 of Fig. 5. i

rlhe `preferred form of construction as shown in the drawings comprises a steery ing-wheel l and a spider 2 therefor.` A hub '3 of spider 2 is provided with two rows of bali bearings 4-4 in which a sleeve 5 is journal-ed, as shown in Figs, 2 'and 4. Screwed to ysleeve 5 is a collar 6, which bears on one rowy of ball bearings, as shown. vA cap 7,

enclosing sleeve 5 and collar 6 for the eX- clusion -of dust and to prevent tampering with the interior construction', is 'secured in a hollow end of said sleeveby means of a snap-ring S, this being a positive and wellknown securing means and adapted for purn poses where parts are to be permanently secured together. Sleeve 5 is rigidly secured to a steeringwheel shaft 9 by means of a nut l0 and key to insurea tight fit. Shaft 9 is journaled tapered CII in ring;` 18 to 'Fit loosely on surface 15 oit sleeve and on s hexagonal surlfece 21 termed on the inner rvr-.ll ot en annuler recess in huh 8,. the outer -woll oli seid recess loeing oyhndrico es shown in Fig. 6.

ln the locking position or ring 18, es

`Ashoivn in Fig. 2 shoulder 17 rests on shoule der 16, end the interior hetA rgonsl surtece 2O ot seid ring conforms not only to hexagonal surface 21, hut also to hexagonal surface on sleeve ,5, thus preventing movement of seid sleeve relative'to huh 8. Since the Weight of ring' 18 is sinlicient to hold the some in this loosing; position, Wheel 1 is operative tor stefnfingv purposesD and will remain so until siii-d ring is moved upivar-:l out of engagement with hexagonal surface 15.

ln the unlocking position oi ring 18., es shown in l" ti Q nig. e, hexagonal suriace 2O ot said'ring; conforms only to hexagonal sur- 't'ace 21 in huh 2t-he ring; having heen raised, by the operator? to such an extent ss to permit the seine to rotste 'freely around het-:- iinjonnl surface 'l5 on sleeve 5. Bill bezirings non' heroine operative, and permit the wheel to spin around sleeve 5 Without importing' any motion to shaft 9.

lilhen ring 13 is raised to the position shoivn, locking-holt 2i is Erst pushed heck sgniinst the resistance of spring end lthen automatically engaged with e notch 25 provided on seid ring' tor positively holding the ne in raised or unlocking' position. lt will lie noted that the inner end of holt is inclined. und that pressure oli ring l. siiA end ivill readily nieve the holt.

A, grin/*ity for el. locking loolt 23 orar to accomejy pin lock 26 is formed in spider 2 1n such .2. finzinner that the firm ot seid cli ivil-lenfg'ege one end oit a. slot 29 torrned 1n seid holt end more the seme against the resistance Yolf spring` 24.- ivhen o hey 30 is turned, such action being cleerly shown in ving 18 Will'noiY rollend lock the f steering-*Wheel heitere described.

*lt-f vrillfbe? seen, lock 26 *is l secured;- in

yily manipulated, the use ot s key ,hein

position hy inea-ns oit an, inclined screw 31, the heed of which is concealed Vunder cap 7 to prevent surreptitious removal thereof. @ne end oit' spring 2li rests against the inner end ot :i plug,A 32, which tits so tigh'tl7 in spiuer 2 es to esczrpe detection hy enyone tryingv to temper with the device. Bolt 23 is provided with u shoulder 33 adopted to Contact With s stop Sl- 'tor limiting the movement thereof.

From the foregljoint seen that the device is lescription, it will he very simple :indl reedrequired only When the Wheel is to be rendered operative tor steering purposes.

ln conclusion it is to he observed that i, embodiment of my invention is not to e li iited to the precise details of itorin, fw struction or arrangement shove desc ond shown in the drawings ges, tor er; Y, the mole and temle ineinhers oit the loflnnf device may lie triangular or oval instesil ot hezffagonnl, and the supporting consist ot e series ot Sepe#V :ted tongniesfinstef-i-il ot continuous, sind thek continuous rng mov he in the Yform of the se; mont or" n circle. l lell-hesirings for the sleeve :ire preferlie :i solistenehly used. hut it Would tiul departurefrom my invention to oinil them in order to utili/:ethe holt :i locli ,or supporting the ringiin its positionr end disconnecting` the Wheel'frozn dits post.y instead out ut ,"ainp; the liolt nccompiinying n pin meer.

inl other words` n lool no' device tr iletzichuhly connectin steell not :in automobile vsnl post. the coo rnc-.tion find arrangement oit which :ire such that Vwhen released for disconnectin.;` the it will he *tri-.steil hy n 'tor loclV o' :i

OCCll.

s y to its o" wheel to its post.

lievi-ng described my invention` what l claim es neiv and desire to secure by letters Pet-ent is:

1. The ccfnihinsition with en eutonioliilo steering;` Wheel, e pos-t, e sl e-evesecured thereto, passinothrough and nroiecting helenv the underside ot the Wlioelythe peripherv of' which projection is annuler and terminntes in a; shoulder, d internally angular loclrin` ring surround j sleeve adepted to register wit seid peripheral snrtace L k and sent against seid shoulder.

2. The combination With en automobile steering Wheel, e post, e, sleeve secured thereto passing through, projecting below the underside of the vvlieel and provided with an engi]-4 lar periphery terminating in eshouldeifot Aan internally angular lockingringedepted to seat on said shoulder and :tall loy gravity from its unlocked to its locked position in register with seidperip'herslsurfeee to its l sented/position `upon seid shoulder.

3. The combination With an automobile steering Wheel, a post, a sleeve secured thereto, projecting ,below the underside of the Wheel and provided with an angular surface, of a gravity locking ring, a spring-actuated bolt for retaining said ring in its unlocked position and whereby on retracting the bolt, the ring falls by gravity to its operative locking position.

4. The combination with an automobile steering Wheel, a post, a sleeve secured to said post, a sleeve projecting through said post provided with a gravity locking ring on the inner end of said post and a-flanged cap on the outer end of said post, a flanged cap, a pin lock, a screw for securing said lock in the wheel, the end of which screw is concealed from View by said cap.

5. The combination With an automobile steering Wheel, a post, a sleeve secured thereto projecting through the Wheel, a ring adapted for locking and unlocking the Wheel from said sleeve, a pin lock springseated bolt adapted to secure the locking ring in its elevated unlocked position, a screw for securing the barrel of saidr lock in the Wheel, and a flanged cap for and free to rotate in said sleeve, the flange of Which projects over and conceals said screw.

6. The combination With an automobile steering-Wheel and post, of a sleeve fixed to the post and passing through said Wheel, a cap-plate secured to the sleeve overlapping the Wheel, ball-bearings between and surporting the Wheel from the sleeve, and a -locking device adapted to project into the Wheel for disengaging the Wheel from the sleeve and to move by gravity from the Wheel to a seated position on the sleeve for .locking the Wheel to thelatter.

7. The combination with;y the steering Wheel and post of an automobile, a sleeve for the Wheel surrounding and fixed to the post, said Wheel being provided on its underside with an annular recess, of a locking ring surrounding and adapted to seat on said sleeve and be projected into said recess for disconnecting the Wheel from the sleeve and moved by gravity toits seated position upon the sleeve for connecting the Wheel to 4the latter and a. lock for retaining' saidvring'.

8. The combination with an automobile steering-Wheel provided with a recessfa steering-post, an axial sleeve for the Wheel secured to the post provided circumferentially With an irregular surface and a shoulder, of a locking device provided with an opening conforming thereto and adapted to y be moved by gravity past said surface to a j gagement with the Wheel fordisconnecting it from said post.

l0. The combination with anautomobile steering-Wheel provided With a recess,l a

steering-post, a sleeve for said wheel secured to the post provided with an irregular surface and a shoulder, of a slidable locking device conforming tosaidsurface andv adapted to be moved by gravity from said surface to a seated position on said shoulder and manually rotatable in and out of register With' said surface and to engagement with the Wheel, and a key-operated boltk for' securing the locking device to the Wheel.

1l. The combination With an automobile steering wheel post, of a locking ,ring adapted to move by gravity for locking the Wheel in its operative position, and an automatically locking means adapted to lock the Wheel in its operative position. j

In Witness whereof. I have hereunto set my hand and afiixed my seal, this 17 th day of July, A. D. 1920. c c

RUDOLF R. GRAEBERT. [ne] Witnesses: v

JN0. G. ELLIOTT, H. SLAOK. 

